A Few Ideas
by Joey89
Summary: Ben has a few ideas for Jack and the rest to go back to Island, but will their journey back be as easy as the emotional rollercoaster they will be put through as they revisit the past and deal with the future?
1. Chapter One: Start of Plan B

A/N: This is what I would like for Season 5 and 6 to be like

_A/N: This is what I would like for Season 5 and 6 to be like. LOST doesn't belong to me, J.J Abrams, __Damon Lindelof, and ABC Studios owns it and their characters. I'm just simply borrowing them._

**Chapter One: Start of Plan B**

The usual busy streets of Los Angeles were empty in the dead of night. If Jack wasn't a man who believed that things just happened because they did, that their wasn't a divine power altering things to fit a greater purpose. He would think that the streets were meant to be empty.

So they wouldn't witness the crime he was about to commit. Because he was sure their was a law written for this kind of thing.

"Now I've seen the kind of car you've driving Jack, and I doubt we'll have any room for the casket, so we'll just take John." Ben said eyeing the dead leader.

Jack looked away from his vantage point from the back alley to stare at Ben, who was eyeing Locke with utter fascination.

"Should I bring the car down the alley?"

Ben turned his attention to the daze and emotionally tired doctor, "Yes that would make this a whole lot easier on the three of us."

Jack said nothing as he headed back the way he came in to get his car. He pulled right in the alley and stopped the car as he reached the entrance through the back. Jack stepped out of the car, not bothering to turn it off, he opened the back door of the car and headed back inside. He wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"You're a bit stronger than I am Jack, you take the upper body, I take his legs." Ben instructed him further.

Jack hesitated taking a hold of Locke, so many things had happened between the two, on island and off. All of which he blamed himself for. Him and his stubbornness.

"_I'm so sorry_." Jack whispered to himself and the now dead Locke.

Ben heard every word, but for once did not bother to comment. After Jack's brief hesitation and apology, both men took hold of their respective parts and gently lifted John off his wooded prison. They quietly and slowly walked towards the car. Ben maneuvered himself inside the range rover bringing Locke inside with him. After all of Locke's frame was placed in the back passenger seats, Ben exited through the other end, as Jack closed the door of his end.

"So now what?" Jack asked the shorter man.

Ben smirked at him, "You don't know how many times I've wanted to hear you say that Jack. I honestly hoped you would have changed your mind back when you were staying with us in the barracks."

"I'm not in the mood for this Ben, all I want is for all of this to be over." Jack said miserably.

Ben took pity on the once put together man, "Even if you die in the process Jack?"

Jack turned his attention to the nightly sky. He couldn't see a shiny star, that was one of the things he had noticed once he had returned to the city after his duration in the island and in Hawaii, it was something he missed greatly.

"Yes Ben even if I die in the process."

Ben nodded his head, trying very hard to hide his trademark smile, "Then lets get started Jack, because we have a lot to do in a small amount of time. John has a limited amount of time before his chances of ever coming back alive run out."

Jack entered the car and waited for Ben to the same, once he did he pulled out of the ally.

"Now Jack listen to me, from here on out I don't want any of your cynical close off mind interfering with this mission. Everything and everyone counts in order for any of my plans to work. Do I have your word?"

Jack watched the headlight ahead of him flicker on and off, everything that didn't happen to sane people had happened to him in the past few months. Could he possible handle more unexplained, unanswered things happen to him without him completely losing his mind?

"On one condition Ben." Jack began, "If anyone aside from me dies for no reason whatsoever, the mission is off."

"That's a condition I can follow. After your countless suicide attempts Jack haven't you noticed that the island doesn't want you, for that matter any of you six dead?" Ben asked.

Jack turned his attention the motionless dead body, "If that's so, why is he back there dead?"

"Didn't I agree to your condition? So you really shouldn't expect an answer for that question. Not yet anyways. Now head towards this address, I have two people waiting for us there." Ben said handing him a piece of paper.

Jack took hold of it and read it to himself, knowing full well where they were heading.

"You could have simply directed the address to me."

Ben shook his head looking at the passing scenery, "I can't have the off chance that someone has bugged your car."

"No one is interested in what I'm up to, I'm just an alcoholic surgeon, nothing worth tuning in for."

"Don't forget to add drug addict to that list. And trust me Jack someone has it in for you, more like a few." Ben added.

Jack didn't bother to ask him who, he no longer cared about his well being. He just continued driving to their destination. Hoping everything went according to Ben's plans.

He would almost have his piece of mind, even if he had to die to achieve it.

_Summary For Next Chapter: Ben is not the only one recruiting help to get to the island. Charles Widmore was made an offer he just couldn't refuse. But will he have the upper hand, or will Sun?_

_A/N: Let me know what you think, should I continue it or not?_


	2. Chapter Two: Upper Hand

A/N: Standard Disclaimer, LOST doesn't belong to me

_Though I didn't get enough feedback over the previous chapter, the two who bothered to review, Thank you I really appreciate what you have to say._

**Chapter Two: Upper Hand **

Jack took hold of Kate's hand as he followed the fishermen's towards their radio station. He didn't bother turning around to face the others; Jack knew they were following him.

One of the small tanned men turned towards them and started talking in his native tongue; Jack didn't bother trying to communicate with him, only nodding to everything he was saying. He noticed Kate was doing the same; he glanced down at Aaron, who was being held in her protective embrace.

Brief flashes of a pregnant Claire came to his mind, making Jack turn away, feeling guilty yet again for leaving her and the rest behind.

Once they entered their small and very cramp radio station, Sayid took charge, calling the right authorities, like Penny had instructed them on the boat.

Jack not realizing that he still had hold of Kate's hand moved to leave the crowded radio station, until he felt a pull of his arm.

"Jack where are you going?" Kate asked, gently rocking a now fussing Aaron.

He quickly let go of her hand, "I'm going to get a bit of fresh air."

"Dude haven't you grown tired of seeing the beach?" Hurley asked him after overhearing them.

Jack smiled kindly at Hurley as he walked out of the station. He was surprised to see Sun standing outside as well. With all the commotion going on around them he hadn't focused a lot of his attention on the mourning wife and mother-to-be.

_Yet another death resting on my soul._

"Sun I'm sorry that I haven't checked on you lately. Is everything alright?" Jack asked lamely not very comfortable in the situation he was in. But he was honestly and generally concern for her well being and for her baby's.

Sun slowly turned her attention to him, the fierce glare she gave him gave Jack a good enough idea were he stood with her.

"Don't you dare ask me anything about me and my well being." She said furiously.

Jack didn't want to leave it like this, even though a part of him, the more logical part told him to leave her alone, "Sun I am truly sorry about what happened back there with the freighter and Jin . . ."

Sun didn't let him finish his apology as she slapped him square in the face.

"And don't you dare talk about Jin to me. Not when its your fault that he's dead at the bottom of that ocean."

"Is everything okay out here?" Kate asked them both after stepping outside.

Jack took his hand away from his now red cheek and turned to look at Kate, "No nothing is going on here. What did Sayid say?"

Kate wasn't buying his lie but he was glad she let it go, even though she would let it go momentarily, "He said that they will be sending a representative of Oceanic Airlines with a nearby US Coast Guard. They also said to stay put. Right now he's in there trying to find a place where we can stay for the night."

Jack took in the information she gave him and headed back inside to help Sayid with locating a place to stay, leaving both women alone together. He did take one final glance at Sun, who was still eyeing him with so much rage. This was something he wasn't going to try and fix, he deserved every ounce of her hate.

_**Present**_

Charles Widmore was a very busy man, he had plenty to deal with on an hourly basis. And now with Benjamin Linus around, his life became a lot more complicated. It also didn't help that he hadn't been able to get a hold of Penny for three years now. Since she went off on her rescue mission for Desmond a few Christmases ago.

"Mr. Widmore, your two o'clock is here." His secretary buzzed in by speaker.

He looked down at his watch and saw that she was right on time. He pressed the button that connected to his secretary's phone, "Thank you Emily, you can send Ms. Kwon in."

Charles stood up walked towards the door as the young beautiful business women walked through his doors. He extended his hand to shake hers.

"Ms. Kwon thank you for coming. I'm sorry I couldn't fly out to Seoul but I have matters to oversee here in London."

She smiled politely back at him, but her handshake was firm giving him the impression that she was not here for simple pleasantries but for pure business.

"I understand Mr. Widmore, but I am letting you know now that I'm not your typical submissive businesswomen, I have my own matters in Seoul to oversee as well, I can't afford to leave that all behind to come and meet with you at your beck and call."

Charles laughed at her flare, "You don't sound at all as the daughter your father use to describe to me so long ago. Please take a seat. Would you like some water, tea, wine . ."

She cut him off, "Mr. Widmore I'm positive you didn't call me to meet you here to talk about my drinking preferences."

"You are absolutely right Ms. Kwon, I didn't call you to meet me here to have small talk. But I'm curious to know, why are you so incline to do business with me? After all you six have done a pretty good job of keeping out of sight since your fifteen minutes of glory ended?" He said taking his usual seat across from her.

"I'm tired of keeping up with this lie, it really isn't protecting anyone I care about. The island's well being isn't something that interest me anymore." She said calmly.

Charles watched her with great interest, leaning forward in his seat he reached into his top drawer pulling out four manila folders and placing them separately in front of him.

"So this is more of a vengeance deal to you, than a financial opportunity?"

He watched as her shoulders tensed for a moment before she returned to her usual business like demeanor.

"How is finding that island a financial deal?" She asked him.

Charles smiled at her question, "How is helping me find it going to even the score with your _enemy_?"

She stood up from her seat and glared at him, "If you're not going to take me seriously Mr. Widmore, I believe this is the last time I will ever do business with you."

"Ms. Kwon I assure you I take _you_ seriously, what I don't take seriously is your future commitment to me and my mission." Charles said looking down at the four manila folders, having her gaze at them as well.

"What gives you that idea?" She asked taking her seat once again, but not once gazing away from the folders.

"You spent months on that island Ms. Kwon, you made a connection with the people there, a connection that not many people can brush aside and forget." Charles paused for a moment as he opened each folder showing her the first page, which contained photos, "They are people out there who don't want me to find the island. They would do whatever it takes for me to back off. A lot of my associates have been . . . well lets just say they've been taken care off, if you know what I mean, by one of your dear friends."

He watched her eyes move towards the picture his finger was tapping.

"That's impossible, Sayid is not a murderer."

Charles smirked at her, "Theirs a lot you don't know about your friends. I wonder, didn't you people ever sit down and talk to one another, or where you all just divided?"

Seeing that he wasn't going to get an answer to his question, he continued on.

"You are right on that account, Mr. Jarrah isn't exactly a cold blooded murderer, he did and continues to do what he is told, thinking he's making a difference. Not like another close friend of yours."

Her calm and emotionless expression soon changed when she gazed down at yet another picture he was pointing at.

"Kate is no longer my friend."

"I don't blame you for brushing her aside like that. You are a respectable women and a responsible mother, you don't need someone like Ms. Austen around your child. To bad that poor son of hers has to be raised by such a character."

Before he turned his attention on the next folder he noticed her gaze still lingering at the picture of the young boy in Austen's arms.

"I don't even know why I added Mr. Reyes into the mix, he doesn't seem much of a threat to me, you see your poor friend is no longer right in the mind. He spends most of his time talking to the dead." Charles said.

"Hurley is not a threat to anyone, I don't even understand why you had him investigated." She said angrily.

"Because he has plenty of money. That's something that can be used against me. Your protectiveness for him is the reason we are doing this. I can't have you lose control or go against my orders if something happens to any of them. I'm not a man who hesitates to take people down if they are in my way."

"Well I assure you Hurley will not come across your path. So worrying about him is a waste of your time." She said confidently.

"For his sake, I hope your right. This leads to another harmless figure, but who's a bit more inclined to getting back to the island." Charles said eyeing the last folder. "I was looking over his records and he's one great surgeon. He's someone I would trust with my life. Maybe we can get him on our side, before _he_ gets to him."

"No, if you bring him in I'm out. I will not work alongside him. And you shouldn't trust him with your life, he'll gamble with it if it puts her in danger." Ms. Kwon said furiously glaring at the photo of the young and talented doctor.

Charles came down with the reason Ms. Kwon was here, "You want to ruin him. You want to ruin Doctor Jack Shephard. He's the one you want vengeance on."

"Does it matter whatever is motivating me to join forces with you? You need me to get you on that island."

"And how are you going to manage to do that? I have seven freighters out there in the sea looking for that damn island. I doubt adding you into my plans will help me find it." He said admitting his doubts towards the young women and her role in all of this.

"You may have all the resources available to locate the island at your command, but you don't have me and you definitely don't have the rest of the Oceanic six at your disposal."

He laughed what she was implying, "So what you are trying to tell me is that I need you six in order to find the island? Where did you get a crazy idea like that?"

"Not to give anything away, but a person I once knew from the island came to me and told me exactly what we had to do in order to get back to the island."

The humor in her theory soon vanished, "What do you mean a person you once knew from the island? You six were the only ones to escape?"

"Now you and I both know that's not true."

And just like that he found himself with no control over the situation at hand.

"Has Linus approached you?" He stood up from his chair, not knowing what to do next, he began pacing. Charles avoided his window, just in case this was some sort of trap.

"No he hasn't, not yet anyways. His main priority right now is convincing Shephard to follow every single one of his plans. Convincing me to go along with him wont be that hard."

He spun around to face her, "Then why are you here? Is this some sort of distraction to keep me from finding the damn island? Because let me tell you Ms. Kwon I don't like playing games, and I do not like being played with."

"I hold him just as responsible for my husband's death as I hold Shephard. I want both of them to pay. So I came to you."

Watching as she calmly stated her true motivation behind all of this, brought a surprisingly thrill of victory to rush over him. He still had the upper hand, and Benjamin Linus would never be aware of it.

"This friend of yours, does he have a name?" He asked going back to his seat.

"His name was Jeremy Bentham."

Charles shakes his head, "Do you honestly take me as a fool? I've read the manifesto over a hundred times. I have every single one of those names memorized. And what do you mean by was?"

"Well he's dead now, they say it was suicide. And I wont give you his real name, it doesn't really matter anyways. The question now is Mr. Widmore, do you want what I have?" She asked boldly.

He leaned back on his chair to stare at her. She would bring more trouble into his plans, bringing Linus closer than he would like.

_Once I have everything I need from her I can simply take her out._

"We have a deal Ms. Kwon. Whatever you need, I will be at your disposal." He said charmingly.

"I'm not a foolish women Mr. Widmore, I know what men like you are capable of. After all you spent half of this meeting implying what you do to people who wrong you."

"Ms. Kwon I wouldn't dare bring harm to you, not when I need you. You have my word that I wont double cross you." Charles said lying through his teeth.

"And I believe you, but just in case you do, I have arranged for someone that I know to tell Linus the whereabouts of your daughter. You see I met her once, a few years back, her boat was the one who rescued us. It was a spectacular scene, seeing her reunite with Desmond after so long."

_Summary for next chapter: Jack gets a visit from an old friend he long ago failed to save. _


	3. Chapter Three: Dead Man Talking

_A/N: LOST does not belong to me._

_Thanks guys for all the great reviews from the last chapter. I understand a bit as to why not many people have reviewed. Overall this is a JATE fic, but as of right now the only JATE happening is in the flashbacks of the flashfowrds (if that makes any sense). And even after that when they finally meet up and start their voyage back to the island, JATE will not happen right away, their encounters will be tense, and very angsty._

_Well that's my two-cents for this chapter, hope you enjoy this chapter._

**Chapter Three: Dead Men Talking**

Swirling the light brown liquid in his half empty glass, Jack felt sick to his stomach. He hadn't had a moment of piece since his conversation with the representative of Oceanic Airlines.

"You don't mind if I join you?"

Jack turned to look at Sayid standing behind him, holding his own half empty glass of alcohol.

"I didn't know you drank."

Sayid took the seat next to Jack and smirked down at his glass, "Neither did I, but with everything that happened, a drink wouldn't really kill me."

Brief flashes of what happened on the island, on the helicopter and to the freighter came to Jack's mind, making him drink the remaining bit of scotch.

"Let me get another." Jack told the bartender, who simply nodded at his request.

Sayid bewilderedly looked at him and the exchange, "I didn't think you would be the type to drink either, you being a doctor and all."

Jack chuckled at his assumption, "It comes with the job, well in my family's case anyways."

Sayid nodded and both men spent their remaining time starring of in space, occasionally taking a drink from their glass.

"_Sorry to interrupt tonight's local programming, but this just in, six of the presumed dead passengers of Oceanic 815 came forward today on a local beach in Sumba, Manukangga."_

Both Jack and Sayid looked at the small television screen in the corner and watched as individual pictures of them were being showed.

"_We will broadcast further information as its given."_

Jack turned to look around the bar to see if any of the hotel's inhabitants had caught the breaking news. They had no such luck, the few people that were still sitting around enjoying their drinks, had their eyes on them both. Jack quickly took out the few dollars that Penny had given them and turned to pay the bartender, sliding the worn and torn bills on the countertop, the bartender stopped him.

"No need sir, its on the house."

Not liking the response and the attention, Jack quickly stood up and left the bar, not bothering to wait for Sayid. The only thing he wanted to do was get as far away from the hotel.

"Jack, there you are, I went to your room but no one answered."

He turned around to see Kate coming towards him, holding onto a sleeping Aaron.

"Why? What happened?" He asked, taking a longing look at the entrance doors.

"Ms. Decker called, apparently one of the coast guard pilots who were going to fly us out of here, leaked out information to the media. She wants us all to meet up at her room." Kate said.

Jack turned his full attention to Kate, seeing how much this news affected her. If the media knew who she was, it wouldn't take long before someone came looking for her.

"If you want Kate I'll take Aaron and you can run away, giving you a head start. Once everything is clear and taken care of I can wire you some money anywhere you want." Jack said after catching her gazing at the entrance doors as well.

For a brief moment he watched as she thought about it, but Aaron stirred in her arms, snapping her out of her thoughts. She gently rocked him back to sleep.

"I'm tired of running Jack; I made my bed, now I have to sleep on it. Plus I can't leave Aaron," She paused starring at him, ". . . or you."

Jack didn't know what to say to that. Kate had never been so forward with him, never giving him the impression that she cared for him as much as he cared for her.

_Don't be silly Jack; you're the only person she has left. Now that Sawyer is no longer in sight._

The simple thought of the young southerner made Jack think back to that day, when he scarified himself for them, for Kate.

"Sayid is at the bar, I'll go get him and we'll meet at her room." Jack said looking away from her and towards the entrance of the bar.

"Oh . . . okay, I understand." Kate said, her voice deflating from the upfront and confident tone she had earlier before Jack had blown everything away.

He didn't turn back to look at her as she walked away with Aaron in her arms.

_**Present**_

Jack maneuvered the car into the small garage space. Once he was parked he turned off the ignition and turned to Ben, silently asking him what he should do next.

"Their isn't much space in the house, so you and the rest will have to make due until I come back."

He leaned back into his seat, he didn't mind sharing a small space with people and he was tired of being alo

"I should go before I miss my flight. You see the freezer against the wall; you can put John in there." Ben said pointing to the white icebox against the wall.

It took a moment for whatever Ben had told him to register in his mind and his moral conscious. By then Ben had already exited the car and was heading towards the house.

Jack exited the car and slammed the door shut, following Ben.

"Why do I have to put Locke in the freezer? Why not you?" Jack asked, turning back to look at the car, pointing at the passenger side door, blocking their view of his dead body.

Ben stopped walking towards the door that lead to the main house, to turn back at him.

"Because I've done everything I could for Jacob, the island and John. I am not going to waste any more of my time with him. There are greater things I must focus on." Ben said resuming his way towards the house.

Jack unwillingly walked back towards his car, stopping only when he got a glimpse of Locke's body. His hands itched to grab hold of a bottle or a few pills.

"By the way Jack, there are no drugs or alcohol in my house." Ben said to him before closing the door behind himself.

Jack tiredly turned away from the image of Locke's dead body and leaned against the car.

"I don't know why you beat yourself up over his death. I mean he didn't beat himself up over mine."

Jack's eyes snapped open to stare straight at someone he had personally seen die someone he had failed to save.

"Boone?"

The young sandy brown haired man walked closer to him, stopping to peek inside the car, smiling at the image of a dead Locke. Jack moved to the side, not wanting to make any unnecessary contact with the young man.

"I did tell you I was going to come back and pay you a visit, you know when you were sobered up. So don't act all freaked out." He said, turning his attention back to Jack.

"Y-you're dead . . . I-I was drunk that night. I'm a bit drugged up now." Jack said lamely to himself, avoiding any visual contact with the figment of his guilty imagination.

"I know that I'm dead, you don't have to rub it in my face that the island prefers the rest of you worthy of nine lives."

Jack backed away even further from the annoyed dead man.

"I'm clearly losing my mind here." He muttered to himself.

"Man you wish, because maybe then you would probably take all of this in and accept it for what it is."

Jack laughed harshly at what he was hearing, "Yes because seeing dead people is very easy to accept. See no one seems to understand that all this can't possibly be true. That you standing right there talking to me, when you have been clearly dead for over three years, is completely impossible."

"Hey no one is judging you, I get what you're going through, well probably not seeing as I'm dead and all, but if I were in your situation I would probably get what you're going through." Boone said turning his attention once again to Locke's dead body.

"Ever since we got back I haven't been able to get them out of my mind. I failed in so many ways. And then to make everything so damn perfect Hurley starts getting visits from a dead Charlie telling him to tell me I'm not fit enough to raise Aaron, who just happens to be my damn nephew." Jack finished his rant at the mere mention of his only nephew that topic still a bit tense to say the least.

"Yes well about that, the Island doesn't mean no disrespect. It thinks you're quite capable to be a father, just not Aaron's. Claire is supposed to be the one to raise him. Kate is simply being used right now to benefit our cause; she's more of a stand-in mother for him right now. Until you all return back to the island." Boone said turning towards him.

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. If he was angry and confused before all of this started, he was now furious on top of confused.

"Kate is a great mother. She's done her best in the situation she was put in. Who does the _Island_, or more like _Jacob_ think he is?"

Boone raises his hands in surrender, "I'm not the one making the plans Jack. I'm just the messenger. But again with no disrespect here, the Island isn't saying Kate is a bad mother, its just saying she doesn't fit the mold to be his long term mother like Claire would. Anyways this really isn't what I came here to talk to you about."

"Oh yeah, well then please get to the point, because if you haven't noticed I have a dead body back there that needs to be put in there." Jack stated angrily pointing at both the back seat and the icebox.

"What I'm going to tell you Jack has to stay between the both of us, you can't run along and tell Ben or the rest, especially not Kate. Do we have a deal?" Boone warningly says.

Jack smirked at him, "Yeah we have a deal. Its not like she'll . . . they will believe me."

"Ben most likely will, but he's not to be trusted right now. He hasn't proven himself that he's worthy of the Island's support."

"And stealing a dead body isn't considered worthy enough for the _Island's _support?" Jack asked sarcastically.

Boone shrugged, "I don't make up the rules here Jack. Anyways back on track, when you reach the island, and you will, there are certain things you must do, one of them is to watch your back at all times, don't trust no one to do it for you. Secondly you have to find Claire, and once you find your sister your father will take you to speak to Jacob. From there on I have no idea what the big guy will have in store for you."

"That's it? Watch my back? Find Claire? And let my dead father lead me to Jacob? That's all I have to do? What about Locke?" Jack asked once again pointing at his car.

Boone shakes his head also pointing at his car, "Resurrecting Locke is not your destiny, that's Ben's. Your destiny lies with Claire, with your father, with Aaron, and in some twisted way, with Kate. Now I have to go. See you on the island Jack. Oh by the way before I forget, your father will be paying you another visit, this time he'll say a few more words than last time."

Jack frowned at what Boone had said; nothing that he was saying to him was making any sense. Not to his logical side anyways. Turning to face the young man to ask further questions, Jack found that he was no longer there.

"What the hell is going on with me?" Jack asks himself as he rubs at his tired eyes.

"I would ask you the same question, seeing as you just stole a dead body? I didn't think you had it in you to commit a crime like that."

Jack turned to face Sayid, "How long have you been standing there for?"

"Not long, Ben just told me and Hurley you were down here struggling to put him in the icebox. I decided to come down and give you a hand. Hurley would have come along but he said he had his full with seeing the dead."

Jack nodded in agreement, "It takes a toll on you."

Sayid raised his brow curiously.

Realizing what he had said and compared to what Sayid knew about Hurley's predicament, he quickly amended what he said.

"I mean seeing actual dead cadavers takes a toll on you and your mind."

Sayid took his half ass attempt at a lie.

"So where is he?" He asked walking towards the his car.

Jack pointed at his car for what seemed like the umpteenth time, "He's back there."

"You go on the other side and gently maneuver him out of the backseat; I'll take hold of his legs." Sayid ordered in his true nature.

Jack did as he was told; he no longer cared if he saw Locke's face. He just had a conversation with a dead Boone. He had to constantly get drunk and drugged up so he wouldn't see his dead father walk around and tell him that Claire is waiting for him and Aaron. He even managed to ruin his relationship with Kate, the only women he had truly and honestly fallen for. Nothing that happened now would faze him anymore, he was passed that.

Once both men had dealt with putting Locke into the icebox, Sayid led Jack into the small house. Sayid gave him a brief tour, pointing out where he would be sleeping, the locations of the two out of three bathrooms, where the kitchen was at, he then ended the grand tour in the small library where both Hurley and Ben where at.

"Hey Jack, I see you followed your plan for the beard." Hurley pointed out.

Jack rubbed his beard, "I guess I did, but I'm considering shaving it off."

"You three will have to keep a minimal to no appearance out of this house. I have a feeling Widmore will or already has a few of his men spying on us." Ben said as he was rummaging through a few of his papers.

The name Widmore sounded a bit familiar to Jack, as if he heard it before.

"Widmore? Dude isn't that Penny's last name?" Hurley asked both Jack and Sayid.

The latter gave him a look, "Hurley I think you made a mistake."

Jack wanted to disagree with Sayid, but the look both he and Ben were giving Hurley made him shut his mouth.

"You've met the young Ms. Widmore, Hugo?" Ben asked the curly haired man.

Hurley looked nervously from Sayid, to Jack and to Ben.

"Its okay Hugo, you can tell me, right Sayid?"

Jack watched as Sayid against his better judgment, nodded his head.

"Yeah I met Penny, actually we all did. She was the one who found us after the helicopter went down. She's Desmond's girlfriend." Hurley said.

The sinister smile that spread through Ben's face brought familiar shills down Jack's back. It felt like they were back in the armor locker or more like they were back in the underground aquarium tank in The Hydra station.

"By any chance do you happen to know where they are?"

Before Hurley could respond Sayid intervened, "That's enough Ben, he's told you everything he knows."

"I highly doubt it, but I'll let it go for now. I'll be back in three days, and when I come back we'll deal with your girl troubles, Jack." Ben said grabbing hold of the few papers he had put aside, and a black duffle bag he had at his side.

Sayid chose to walk him out, leaving Hurley and Jack on their own. Jack curiously paced around the small den, glancing at few items every now and then. He could still remember the size and the smell of his own father's den. He hadn't been in it since the day of his wake; his mother had locked it, only letting the maid in to dust it.

"So how's Kate and Aaron doing?" Hurley asked trying to make small talk.

Jack placed the book he was leafing through, and shrugged at his question, "I honestly wouldn't know. I guess she's doing fine."

He realized that he hadn't even bothered to ask her how she was, how Aaron was. He was to consumed with the location of the island, the guilt of Locke's death, and the urge to kill himself to care about anything or anyone else.

"Actually we broke up." Jack found himself admitting to the young man.

"Dude, I'm sorry, I know how much you cared for her."

Jack shook his head, "Its not your fault Hurley. If theirs anyone to blame its me. I've done and said some horrible things."

"That's not true man, if I hadn't gone and lost my mind you would have never gotten those messages from Charlie." Hurley said disagreeing with him, knowing that he was partly to blame.

But Jack wasn't having none of that, after all whatever Hurley had said wasn't what really drove him of the edge. He was going to eventually lose his sense of mind and his relationship with Kate, Jack just wished he had a bit more time.

"You know I had a very long day today, I think I'll just go lay down for a while. I have to go to the hospital tomorrow and give them an excuse to let me off for a few weeks." Jack said before Hurley could say anything else. He just wanted to be alone right now.

"Alright dude, I'll tell Sayid. See you in the morning."

Jack walked out of the small den and down towards the room he was given.

"I want you to keep a good eye on Jack. He's unstable to say the least. Make sure that his contact with Kate and the boy is non existent until I get back." Jack heard Ben say from behind a half opened door.

"I will do my best, but I have other matters to attend to. The two men watching Jack's every room have to be taken care off immediately. So far they haven't made a call to Widmore; they're waiting for you to make an appearance." Sayid said.

Jack frowned at what he was hearing. If he was being followed then maybe Ben was right, someone has it in for him.

_But who?_

"Well make sure they don't ever make that call or any more calls for that matter. Now I have to go, I doubt your friend Sun would take it lightly if I don't arrive on time."

"You're going to Korea?" Sayid asked a bit surprised at his travel plans.

Jack was too; apparently Ben was a very busy man.

"Yes, she wanted to meet there, she doesn't like being to far away from her daughter. Don't forget to transfer Hurley's money into a private account; we need it to get our own freighter."

Hearing footsteps coming his way Jack quickly but quietly walked towards his sleeping quarters, once he was safely in his room, he realized what he had just heard. Sayid was working for Ben, doing more than just simple errands. He didn't know how to feel about that. They may not have been good friends, but Sayid had never come off as a killer. Catching his reflection in the wall mirror made him stop his train of thoughts.

No one was the same anymore. The crash, their time on the island, the deaths, and the rescue missions that had gone horribly wrong, had taken a toll on them.

Laying on the bed, fully clothe, Jack fought the urge to drown himself in a bottle of scotch with a few painkillers on the side. As he closed his eyes he hoped Kate and Aaron had a better night than him.

_Summary for Next Chapter: We deal with Kate the following morning after her visit from Claire. She decides to pay a visit to Jack, bringing Aaron along who's missed his Uncle._


End file.
